Wet high intensity magnetic separation of iron minerals

Abstract

Four different iron minerals were selected for study, and five size fractions of each mineral were prepared. The magnetic properties of these minerals were measured. The effect of particle size and magnetic susceptibility on wet high intensity magnetic separation was studied simultaneously. It was found that hematite-1 was a strongly paramagnetic mineral, and the effect of particle size in WHIMS was not significant. Goethite and limonite were weakly paramagnetic minerals, and could not be effectively recovered by WHIMS. The magnetic properties of hematite-2 were between hematite-1 and goethite and limonite, and the effect of particle size on WHIMS for hematite-2 was significant.